Fluid controlled device



Dec. 1965 B. J. GREENBLOTT ETAL 3,226,530

FLUID CONTROLLED DEVICE Filed June 5, 1962 H is 512* m 7 V 15-k H 1 H, 10

ig FIG. 2

//V VEA/TORS BERNARD J. GREENBLOTT ROBERT A. COMP ATTORNEY .the power stream to a plurality of positions.

into said one passage.

United States Patent 3,226,530 FLUID (IQNTRQLLED DEWQE Bernard J. Greenhlott, liiingharnton, N.Y., and Robert A.

Coinparin, Zurich, Switzerland, assignors to internationai Business Machines Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Fiied dune 5, 1962, Ser. No. 296L227 17 Claims. (6!. 235-6131) This invention relates to fluid controlled devices, and more particularly to those of the so-called fluid amplifier type.

There has been considerable interest of late in fluid amplifying devices which are so named because a low energy pressure fluid signal can control and switch a fluid power stream to produce an output signal of higher energy level. Devices of this general type have been proposed for controlling diversion of a fluid power stream against a fluid pressure actuated member, such as an indicator for a binary counter. not practical for use in controlling high-speed movement of a member, such as a print wire or print head or punch, by effecting positive movement of such member in both of two directions. In other words, so far as is known, none of the devices of the above general type have been provided with actuators which are movable positively by Also, none of these devices embody an actuator and associated valve which are normally biased bythe fluid power stream to one position and, when actuated to another position by switching of the stream, establish a feedback communication whereby the stream is promptly switched back to its normal position.

Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to provide an improved, relatively inexpensive fluid pressure controlled device embodying a member, such as an actuator and/ or a valve, that is positively shifted by a fluid power stream to more than one position.

Another object is to provide a fluid pressure controlled device embodying displaceable means subject opposingly to pressures of fluid in two passages for effecting automatic rediversion of a fluid power stream to one of the passages when it is temporarily diverted from said one passage to the other passage.

Another object is to provide a fluid pressure controlled device embodying a valve which is associated with a fluid pressure controlled actuator and operative, when the actuator is moved to an abnormal position, to establish a communication via which fluid is conveyed to switch the stream back to a normal position.

Still another object is to provide a fluid presssure controlled marking apparatus embodying a plurality of devices of the above general type which are arranged so as to be selectably actuatable to mark a record according to information, such as in the form of perforations, sensed pneumatically or otherwise from a record.

According to these objects, the fluid pressure controlled device embodying the invention comprises an actuator subject opposingly to pressures of fluid in two passages which diverge from a common junction. A fluid power stream is normally directed into one of said passages to bias the actuator to a normal position. Means is provided for diverting the stream into the other passage thereby to shift the actuator to an abnormal position. As the actuator is thus shifted, a valve operatively associated therewith is moved to establish a feedback communication via which at least some of the pressure fluid supplied to said other passage will be bypassed and directed back substantially to said junction to laterally enter and enlarge the existing separation bubble for diverting the power stream back Thus, whenever the stream is But the devices thus far proposed are diverted into said other passage, the actuator will be shifted to abnormal position only temporarily or momentarily and thenbe returned automatically to a normal position as a result of the feedback action. Hence, the actuator is positively shifted by pressure fluid to both of its two positions. If the feedback communication has an adequate atmospheric bleed, the fluid pressure controlled device will operate as a monostable type; but without such a bleed, the device will operate as an oscillator.

A plurality of these devices may be arranged in a bank or a matrix such that the actuator of each device is selectably actuatable so as to cooperate with the other devices to perform a desired control operation. For example, each actuator may control an individual print wire, print hammer or punch which is adapted to act upon a corresponding assigned area, column or row of a record card, sheet, tape or the like. Actuation of the individual actuators may be controlled in any one of a variety of ways; for example, by pneumatic sensing of discrete bits of information, such as in the form of perforations in a record card, tape or the like.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section view of a fluid controlled device embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a fluid pressure controlled printing apparatus embodying a plurality of modularized fluid pressure controlled devices of the types shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, arranged in a pattern for printing out a curve according to discrete bits of information in the form of perforations pneumatically sensed from a record card.

Description As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each fluid controlled device embodying the invention comprises a housing 10 providing a nozzle 11 through which a fluid power stream is supplied from an inlet 12 selectively to either of two diverging passages 13, 14. As illustrated, control ports 15 and 16 are disposed substantially at the point of divergence of passages 13, 14 and at the exit end of nozzle 11. These ports 15 and 16 are selectively chargeable with pressure fluid to direct or divert the stream to passages 14 and 13, respectively. As also illustrated, the outer or non-adjacent walls 13a, 14a of the passages 13, 14, respectively, are set back or offset at the exit end of the nozzle. As a result, a low pressure region will be created at X when the fluid power stream is directed into passage 13. This will tend to maintain the stream locked on to wall 13a by so-called boundary layer control and thus maintain the stream diverted into passage 13 even if supply of pressure fluid to the corresponding control port 16 is not maintained. In other words, the stream can be switched by a pressure fluid pulse and will remain switch even after the pulse dies. Similarly, since wall 14a is likewise offset, a low pressure region will be created at Y when the fluid power stream is directed into passages 14; and this will tend to maintain the stream locked on to wall 14a. The device as thus far described is already well known in the art as a bistable fluid amplifier with lock on.

According to the invention, a displaceable member, such as a combined piston and valve 17, is slidably mounted in a bore 18 having one end open to passage 14 and the other end open to a curved extension of passage 13. The piston-valve 17 serves as a double-acting fluid pressure-controlled actuator to control performance of a desired control operation. It also serves as a valve that exposed to pressure fluid in passage 13. This piston rod projects slidably through a central bore provided through a guide 20, preferably with a reduced diameter extension 20a to provide maximum support for the rod. This guide is screw-threaded to a counterbore 21 that extends inwardly from the exterior of the housing 19 and is coaxially aligned with, and joins, the bore 18. The outer end of piston rod 19 projects exteriorly of the guide 29 and is split transversely toreceive a print wire 22 that is operably and coaxially secured to the piston rod, such as by a collet 23.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the housing of each device is preferably in the form of a plate of metal, plastic or other suitable material. Each plate 10 is etched, molded or otherwise formed to provide the desired passages, ports, etc. herein described. All of the housings 10 are identical and laterally secured in side-by side abutting relation to form 'a stack. A supply pipe 23 is connected to the non-relieved face of the housing 10 at one end of the stack. This pipe 23 conveys fluid under pressure from a suitable source (not shown) to the aligned inlets 12 of each housing to provide the pressure fluid for the fluid'power streams that flow through the respective nozzles 11 of each device. An end plate 24 is preferably secured to the housing at the remote end of the stack to seal off the remote end of the inlet 12 and thereby reduce'loss of pressure fluid.

Also, as ilustrated in FIGS 1 to 3, each housing or plate 10 has an escape port 26 opening through the outer wall 13a of passage 13, and an escape port 27 opening through the outer wall 14a of passage 14. Each plate 10 'also has an escape port 28 that is disposed'between the atmosphere.

With the identical housings 10 of the respective fluid controlled devices arranged sids-by-side, as shown .in FIG. 3, the print wires 22 of the respective devices will lie in a common line. This line extends transversely of the direction (shown by an arrow 32. in FIG. 1) in which a record, such as a tape T, is advanceable by suitable means (not shown) over a support or plate 33. This plate 33 has an aperture aligned with each print wire 22 to permit it to pass through the aperture and strike a ribbon R that is backed up by the tape and a platen P, thereby to make a pin point mark on the tape. The ribbon R preferably is moved slowly in a direction orthogonal to that of the arrow 32.

The printing apparatus thus described could serve as a curve plotter. In such event, the ordinate positions would be to a scale corresponding to the preselected spacing of the print wires; and the abscissa positions would be time to a scale determined by the rate of advancement of the tape T and of a record card C (FIG. 3).

In the embodiment illustrated, the respective print wires 22 are selectably actuated according to bits of information, in the form of perforations, pneumatically sensed from the record card C. More specifically, fluid under pressure is supplied from a suitable source (not shown) via a supply pipe 34 to a manifold 35. As the card (3 is advanced in the direction. of arrow 36, it passes wits slight clearance between the mouths of exit tubes 37 depending from the manifold and the vertically aligned mouths of receiving tubes 35% supported by a support block 39. The tubes 37 and 38 are transversely spaced distances corresponding to the spacing between adjacent rows of the six-row card C. Thus, as the card moves serially (i.e., column by column) between the tubes 37 and 3%, pressure fluid will be supplied to a particular tube 38 from the manifold 3% whenever any perforation in the card registers with such particular tube. However, when no perforation registers with a tube 38, the card will act as a seal and prevent supply of pressure fluid to the tubes 3d and the respective control ports 15 (FIG. 1) to which they are connected.

Operation Assume initially that pressure fluid is being supplied to pipes 23 and 34. Assume also that card C seals off each each control port 15 from atmosphere and from manifold 35.

Under these conditions, the fluid power stream being supplied through the respective nozzles 11 within each housing 10 will be sucked against wall 13a. This is because the end of control port 15 is then sealed off by card C, whereas control port 16 is open to atmosphere via a restriction 4d and the bleed port 29. Thereafter, the stream will remain locked on to the wall 13a and thus maintain the stream continuously directed into passage 13 (even if port 15 were thereafter opened to atmosphere, as shown in FIG. 1). This is because of the low pressure then created at region X due to the offset. Meanwhile, some of the pressure fluid supplied to passage 13 will bias the piston valve 17 to its normal position, in which it is shown in FIG. 1; and the remainder of the pressure fluid will escape through the escape ports 26, 28.

Whenever a perforation in card C registers with any set of the tubes 37, 38, pressure fluid from the manifold 35 will be supplied via said tubesto the'control port 15 within the corresponding housing 10. Thus, a pressure fluid pulse will be conveyed through such control port 15 to region X. This will enlarge the separation bubble which will travel along the wall 13a and cause sepav ration of the powerstream from said wall and diversion of said stream into passage 14. The fluid pressure bias force theretofore acting to maintain the piston valve 17 in normal position now will be removed. ,Hence, some of the pressure fluid supplied to passage 14 will now shift the piston valve to an abnormal position for operatively driving the print wire 22 into effective contact with the robbon R and tape T to perform the desired marking operation on the tape.

Meanwhile, movement of the piston valve 17 Will uncover to passage 14 a feedback communication includthe control port 16 for permitting some of the pressure fluid to flow from passage lid to region Y. This will enlarge the separation bubble" which will drive the stream away from wall 14a and divert it back into passage 13. As the supply of pressure fluid to passage 14 is thus cut ofl and pressure fluid is supplied to passage 13, the piston valve 17 will be promptly and positively returned to normal position. Meanwhile, during flow of pressure fluid through passage 14, some of such fluid will be released through escape ports 2'7, 28 as well as bleed port 29.

It is to be noted that the effective area of restriction 40 has been assumed to be large enough in relation to the areas of control ports 15, 16 to prevent development of a suction at region Y suficient to suck the stream over against wall 14a when port 15 is opened to atmosphere as shown in FIG. 1. Hence, the device as thus far described, will operate as a monostable fluid controlled device. In other words, the piston valve 17 and controlled print wire 22 will normally remain in normal position in which they are shown in FIG. 1; and they will shift to abnormal position temporarily and momentarily only when a pressure fluid pulse is delivered to control port 15.

Assume now, however, that the area of restriction 40 is substantially reduced or that said restriction is completely blocked or eliminated. Assume further that we are just considering the device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In such case, the fluid power stream will tend to be sucked against wall 114a because control port 15 is open to atmosphere. But each time the stream is diverted into passage 14, it will shift the actuator and valve (piston valve 17). This will admit pressure fluid to the feedback communication and enlarge the separation bubble along wall 14a which will drive the stream into passage 13 temporarily until valve 17 recloses. Then the stream will be pulled back into passage 14. Hence, the device as thus modified will operate as an oscillator. This will cause repeated synchronous operation of print wire 22 to marking position whenever and so long as a power stream is supplied through nozzle ll.

It will be understood that by inclusion of a suitable needle valve (not shown) between each control port 15 and corresponding bleed port 29, the device could be selectively conditionable to operate either in a monostable or oscillating mode.

It should also be noted that the escape ports 26, 27, 23 are necessary to permit escape of pressure fluid from the device. Otherwise, an adverse pressure gradient would be created by the blocking action of the piston valve 17 when biased to either of its limit positions.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid controlled device comprising a displaceable member subject opposingly to pressures of fluid in one passage and another passage,

.an inlet to convey pressure fluid for supply selectively to said passages,

'a feedback communication via which pressure fluid can flow from said other passage to a point intermediate said inlet and other passage to effect cut ofl? of supply of pressure fluid to said other passage and effect supply of pressure fluid to said one passage, and

a valve controlled by said member for establishing said communication whenever pressure fluid is supplied to said other passage,

whereby said member will remain only temporarily in communicatioil-establishing position.

2. A fluid controlled device comprising a plurality of divergent passages including one passage into which at least some of the fluid of a fluid power stream is normally directed,

means for diverting at least some of the fluid of the stream to another of the passages,

means providing a feedback communication for conveying at least some of the pressure fluid from said other passage back generally toward the point of divergence of said passages, and

a valve subject opposingly to pressures of fluid in said one passage and other passage for establishing said feedback communication to switch the stream from said other passage and back into said one passage, said valve normally being biased to a closed position to close said communication and operable responsively to and by pressure fluid applied from the stream to said other passage to open position to establish said communication, whereby the valve will be automatically reclosed promptly after it is opened.

3. The combination according to claim 2, including an actuator operably connected to said valve for performing a desired control operation as and when said valve is operated to one of its said positions.

4. The combination according to claim 2, including at least one escape port associated with each passage to permit some pressure fluid to escape from such passage when the stream is diverted to such passage.

5. A fluid device comprising two passages having their respective one ends intersecting at a junction,

displaceable valve means disposed between the respective other ends of said passages,

a fluid power stream normally directed into one of said passages to bias the valve means to a normal position,

means providing a feedback communication which is closed by the valve means in normal position and via which pressure fluid from the stream can flow from said other passage to a region substantially at said junction, and

means for temporarily diverting the stream to the other of the passages to actuate said valve means to another position in which it establishes said feedback communication thereby to promptly divert the stream to said one passage for causing return of the valve means to normal position in which it disestablishes the communication.

6. A fluid controlled device comprising a plurality of passages into which a fluid power stream is selectively directable,

means positively displaceable by pressure fluid to one position responsively to diversion of the stream to one of said passages and by pressure fluid to another position responsively to diversion of the stream to another of the passages,

an actuator operably connected to said means, and

means for diverting the stream from said one passage to said other passage,

the first-mentioned means including means automatically responsive to diversion of the stream to said other passage to cause diversion of the stream from said other passage back to said one passage to effect positively controlled corresponding movement of the actuator.

7. The combination according to claim 6, wherein the means included in said first-mentioned means comprises a valve for releasing pressure fluid from said other passage.

8. The combination according to claim 6, wherein said one passage comprises a surface so configured that the stream will normally lock on to said surface to maintain the stream normally continuously directed into said one passage.

9. A fluid controlled device comprising means providing at least two passages diverging from a junction and into which passages a fluid power stream is selectively divertable,

means including an offset providing a low pressure region near said junction and adjacent the outer wall of one of the passages for normally maintaining the stream locked on to such wall,

means for switching the stream to another of the passages,

an actuator for performing a desired control operation and normally biased to one position by pressure fluid supplied to said one passage and operable to another position by pressure fluid supplied to said other passage,

means defining a communication via which at least some of the pressure fluid from the stream will flow from said other passage substantially to said junction, and

a valve associated with said actuator and operable only when said actuator is in said other position to establish said communication to direct a fluid power jet against said stream to switch and redivert the latter to said one passage to positively return the actuator to its said one position.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the passages are disposed at substantially equal angles to the axis of the power stream at a point substantially at said junction, and

an escape port opens through the non-adjacent outer walls of each passage, and

a common escape port is disposed between the Passages and substantially aligned with said axis,

said escape ports being provided to permit bleed off of some of the pressure fluid supplied to said passages and actuator.

11. A fluid controlled device comprising means providing at least two passages diverging from a junction,

means normally maintaining a fluid power stream directed into one of said passages,

means for switching the stream to another of the pas- V sages,

an actuator normally biased to one position by pressure fluid supplied to said one passage and operable to another position by pressure fluid supplied to said other passage, and

at least one escape port associated With each passage to permit pressure fluid to escape from such passage when the stream. is directed to such passage.

12. A device according to claim 11, including valve means operably associated with said actuator and opened only when the actuator is in said other position for releasing some of the pressure fluid then being supplied from the stream to said other passage.

13. A fluid controlled device comprising two passages into which a fluid power stream is selectively divertable,

a displaceable actuator means subject opposingly to pressures of fluid in said passages and biased to a normal position by and when the stream is directed into one of the passages,

means for diverting the stream to the other passage to displace the actuator means to an abnormal position,

means defining a feedback communication via which pressure fluid from the stream can flow from the other passage to a point substantially at the junction of said passages, and e a valve controlling said communication to divert the stream from said other passage back to said one passage.

14. The combination according to claim 13, wherein the means for diverting the stream to the other passage comprises a control port for conveying pressure fluid pulses, and

the feedback communication includes a port open to atmosphere and said communication has an effective area at least equal to that of said control port so that the stream will tend to remain diverted into said one passage except momentarily after each pres sure fluid pulse,

thereby to provide a basically monostable fluid device.

15. The combination according to claim 13, wherein the means for diverting the stream to the other passage comprises a control port, and said control port is open to atmosphere via an aperture of greater effective area than any aperture via which the feedback communication may be open to atmosphere so the stream will always tend to be attracted to said other passage,

thereby to create a synchronously operable oscillating device wherein the stream will be switched automatically back and forth to move the actuator means back and forth between its said positions.

16. A fluid controlled printing apparatus comprising a plurality of identicaldevices of the type defined in claim 13 arranged in a preselected pattern, and including means for supplying fluid for each power stream,

selectively operable switching means to switch the individual streams within each device to shift the corresponding actuator means to their respective abnormal positions, and

a separate print wire controlled by each actuator means so as to be operated to printing position whenever such actuator means is shifted to its said abnormal position.

17. A fluid controlled marking apparatus for marking a document whenever a perforation in pneumatically sensed in a record, comprising i a plurality of similar modularized devices arranged in a pattern, and 1 means for supplying a fluid power stream to each of the devices, each such device comprising means providing at least two passages that diverge from a junction point,

means providing a feedback communication for conveying pressure fluid from said other passage sub stantially to said point,

means including a valve and marking member normally biased to one position by some of the pressure fluid supplied to said one passage and operable to a marking position by and when pressure fluid is supplied to another of the passages, for marking the document and also establishing the feedback communication to redivert the stream into said one passage, and

. means for pneumatically sensing perforations in the record to provide a pressure fluid pulse in selected ones of said devices corresponding to the perforate information sensed for thereby momentarily actuating the corresponding marking members to markingposition.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,001,539 9/1961 Hurvitz 13781.5 3,024,805 3/1962 Horton 137-815 3,034,628 5/1962 Wadey 1378l.5

VMAVLCOLM A. MORRISON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A FLUID CONTROLLED DEVICE COMPRISING A DISPLACEABLE MEMBER SUBJECT OPPOSINGLY TO PRESSURES OF FLUID IN ONE PASSAGE AND ANOTHER PASSAGE, AN INLET TO CONVEY PRESSURE FLUID FOR SUPPLY SELECTIVELY TO SAID PASSAGES, A FEEDBACK COMMUNICATION VIA WHICH PRESSURE FLUID CAN FLOW FROM SAID OTHER PASSAGE TO A POINT INTERMEDIATE SAID INLET AND OTHER PASSAGE TO EFFECT CUT OFF OF SUPPLY OF PRESSURE FLUID TO SAID OTHER PASAGE AND EFFECT SUPPLY OF PRESSURE FLUID TO SAID ONE PASSAGE, AND A VALVE CONTROLLED BY SAID MEMBER FOR ESTABLISHING SAID COMMUNICATION WHENEVER PRESSURE FLUID IS SUPPLIED TO SAID OTHER PASSAGE, WHEREBY SAID MEMBER WILL REMAIN ONLY TERMPORARILY IN COMMUNCATION-ESTABLISHING POSITION. 